by Conn, Claudy
“Fine.” Abbie rose and made her way to the bathroom. Dylan carefully watched her ass sway with every step she took.
After a few minutes, she returned with an expectant look on her face.
“Let’s go,” Abbie tapped her toes, waiting for Dylan to follow.
With his curiosity peaked, he pushed himself from the chair and followed behind. Abbie led him to the family room and paused at a closet. “The boxes are pretty heavy, you can put those muscles to good use.” She pointed out six different large boxes for Dylan to haul out of the closet.
Why does she have me pulling out all this stuff? Is she making room for my body? Are the boxes where she’s going to keep my dismembered corpse?
The thoughts were a little off-putting for Dylan. He hoped like hell she wasn’t plotting his demise, even if in some twisted way he deserved it.
“What is all this stuff?”
“Christmas decorations.”
He watched as Abbie twisted a lock of hair around her finger. “And the box big enough to hide a body in?”
“The tree.”
Whew! “And why are we digging this stuff out now?” Dylan looked at her expectantly. Seriously, he had other things he’d rather be doing.
“Because Christmas is two weeks away and I have nothing done. I haven’t even had a chance to go shopping yet for Emmie. I don’t have time to sit and bullshit all day, so we’re going to compromise and get a few things done while we chat.” Abbie made air quotes around the word chat to emphasize her point.
Dylan watched as Abbie made her way back into the closet. A loud thud sounded, followed by several expletives. “You okay in there?”
“Yep, just looking for something. Can you give me a hand with this?”
Cramped for space in the closet, Dylan wedged his way between boxes stacked nearly to the ceiling. “Geez, woman, what the hell do you have in here?”
“A little of this a lot of that,” Abbie joked. “Here it is! Can you grab those two boxes off the top shelf please?”
Dylan moved in close, not giving Abbie a chance to get out of the way. His body pressed against her backside. He smiled when he heard her gasp in surprise. Lifting his arms slowly above his head, he made sure to press just a wee bit more against her. That was the exact moment he knew for certain he was a goner. Abbie’s strawberry scent enveloped his every sense. She smelled good enough to eat and looked even more like she was in desperate need of a devouring.
Slowly, he pulled the first box from the top shelf, then the second. Each move was meant to let Abbie know just how much she turned him on. It didn’t matter that they were in a cramped closet, with mini towers of boxes surrounding them. Dylan knew he had to have her.
Giving Abbie a tiny inch of breathing room, she made her escape, bolting from the closet as if her ass were ablaze. Smirking as she retreated, Dylan adjusted himself, then grabbed the remaining box and headed out of the closet.
Abbie motioned for him to set the boxes on the table. The boxes had been carefully taped shut and she had written his name across the top with a pink marker.
“These boxes are filled with pictures, blankets, baby books, and tons of little mementos from birth to last year. I have a new box started. I’ll grab it after you’ve gone through these. It’s a collection of things I saved for you over the years. I hoped one day we would be on good enough terms to go through some of this stuff.”
Dylan nodded and opened the boxes. He went through the pictures first, Abbie narrating each image as he picked them up. She put a time and place to each event she managed to capture. At times, she stopped to wipe away tears or blow her nose. He picked up on her feelings of sadness and regret. She must have apologized a thousand times as they sifted through Emmie’s baby items.
When they came to the end of the boxes, Dylan started going through them again, committing dates and events of his daughter’s life to his memories as Abbie began to unpack the Christmas decorations. With no idea of the hours that had passed, Dylan was interrupted when Abbie brought him a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of chicken soup.
“Thanks.”
They ate in silence at the small table in the family room. Dylan felt overwhelmed by all of the information he tried to cram into his brain. Filled with worry that it would start to ooze out, he needed a distraction. Feelings of resentment were starting to creep under his skin again. Am I always going to feel this way? When I think about the situation, will I always be pissed off?
They were questions only he could answer.
“Those boxes are yours to keep. I made sure to keep my things separate from yours.”
“Thanks. What time does Emmie get off the bus?”
“We have a couple of hours yet. Which is good, because I’d like to have the tree up before she gets home.”
“You mean the fake thing in the box over there?” Dylan teased.
“Oh hush. It’s a nice little tree.”
“How about a real tree this year?” It had been years since Dylan actually celebrated Christmas. He wanted this year to be special. Extra special.
“Dylan, I really don’t want the hassle of a real tree. They dry out and get messy. I really just like to keep things simple, manageable for me.”
“I’ll be here to take care of it. You won’t have to worry about it. Promise.”
Dylan bit his lip in an effort to hold in the laughter at the panicked expression on Abbie’s face.
“Uhhh, what do you mean you’ll be here?”
Chapter Fifteen
Abbie had to admit, Dylan wasn’t bad company to have around, and he was very easy on the eyes. But what the heck was he talking about? Just how long did he plan on hanging around? And why? She must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights because Dylan quickly added, “I’m on leave for a few weeks. I think it would be nice to spend it with Emmie, and real trees are always so much better than the fake ones.”
That’s good right? He should want to spend the holiday with Emmie, and she would be overjoyed at finally having a real Christmas tree, thanks to her daddy. Although she wanted to shake the hell out of him for his suggestion, she agreed for Emmie’s sake. “Sure. A real tree sounds nice.”
The rest of the afternoon passed by quickly for Abbie. Doing her best to ignore Dylan’s glances, she slowly made her way through the house, bringing Christmas joy to each room. They joked and chatted here and there, but for the most part, Abbie left Dylan to his own thoughts. At times, she wondered what he thought as he looked at each picture, read over each new progress report from school. Some of the items brought a smile to his face, others made him clench his jaw. Her mouth opened several times to ask, but fear kicked in, and she’d close her mouth and leave the room. Momma always said ‘don’t ask if you don’t wanna know the truth’.
Abbie wasn’t sure what to think of Dylan’s temperament. Would it be better if we had a big blow out and got our feelings out in the air? Not knowing what to expect was always the worst for Abbie. She needed to know where she stood in life, where she was headed. Anxiety often set in when her life was up in the air.
Not knowing what to expect from Dylan, in regards to Emmie, left her with a sour stomach at best, nervous and out of her mind at worst. What if he wanted Emmie to live with him? Even if it was part of the year, it was far too long for her liking. She would be a mess without her little monkey. Emmie was her very reason for living. Every decision she made affected not only her life but Emmie’s as well. From the moment she found out she was pregnant, she agonized over every little decision. She didn’t always make the best decision, but she lived with the fallout. As a single parent, it was her cross to bear.
Abbie pulled an artificial sprig of mistletoe from the box she currently worked on and padded to the archway separating the living room and kitchen. Stretching her arms far above her head, she found she was still a few inches short. Even when she tried standing on her tippy toes, she still couldn’t reach high enough to hang the decoration. “Being short
sucks. Guess I better grab the stepladder,” Abbie whispered to herself.
“Need some help?” Dylan held his hand out for the mistletoe.
“Sure.” Abbie handed the decoration over and watched in awe as he simply lifted his arm a tiny bit to push the thumbtack into the center of the arch, securing the mistletoe.
“Short people have it so hard sometimes.”
“Trust me, I know. It sucks. I was ready to drag the ladder out. But you saved the day. My hero,” Abbie teased. OMG, am I flirting with him?
Before Abbie could anticipate Dylan’s move, his arms wrapped around her, catching her off guard. Bolts of awareness shot through her body. He held her tight, backing her slowly against the closest wall.
“I’ve wanted to do this all day.” Dylan’s lips crashed down on hers. She gasped in surprise, giving him the moment he needed to deepen the kiss.
Every single barrier Abbie had built came crashing down in an instant. The heat from his body lit her very being on fire. For far too long, she’d shut down any sexual awareness that tried to claw its way to the surface. One kiss, one touch from Dylan was all it took for her traitorous body to rebel against her self-imposed sanctions. Denying nature was probably the worst thing she could have done. The levees weakened with each twist of his tongue. Every caress of his caused another crack in the dam. Sheer need flooded her body.
His touch was much different than she remembered. Embraces from Dylan in the past were often awkward and light. This time, there was no hesitation as his arms—thick, solid, and sure—held her tight. Enveloped in his masculine, woodsy scent, she was lost to the past. Abbie’s mind was inundated with images of the first time they made love and each subsequent time after.
She tried fighting the images of the years they shared together as they bombarded her mind, body, and soul, keeping her locked tight in place. It was a losing battle. Her body screamed YES when he began to knead her breasts. Abbie thought she had died and gone to Heaven when his mouth landed on the side of her neck. Goose bumps broke out over her body with each little nibble on her earlobe. The teasing drove her crazy. Her finger danced under his shirt, tracing the outline of his muscles with her fingertips.
“Wrap your legs around me.”
Dylan’s order was no more than a whisper that sent shivers down her spine. It had been far too long since her body felt so alive.
Abbie twisted her legs around him as he lifted her from the ground in one smooth motion. She nipped at his lips when the bulge in his pants pressed against her center. She bucked against him, wanting more of the delicious friction. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, caressing, touching. Soft moans of pleasure escaped when his teeth lightly grazed her neck.
The sound of an alarm went off, startling them. Dylan pulled his phone from his pocket. “It’s time to get Emmie off the bus.”
“Of course it is.”
Cursing under her breath, Abbie was disappointed. Not with the situation. She was actually thankful to be saved by the bell, so to speak. She had to resist Dylan. She couldn’t afford to get her heart broken again.
Chapter Sixteen
The next few days passed in a blur. Dylan spent his evenings and nights with Abbie and Emmie. Unfortunately, things between him and Abbie cooled off after their mischief under the mistletoe. The situation left him perplexed. Each advance he made was quickly and swiftly shot down. It left him on edge. The all too frequent cold showers did nothing to help his growing need.
After Emmie went to bed, he and Abbie talked for hours upon hours. Just as he tried to heat things up between them, Abbie would announce her departure for the evening. She swiftly shot him down at every opportunity. He’d taken matters into his own hands more in the last three days than he did in the past six years. Even then, he tossed and turned every night. For fuck’s sake, his dreams were filled with Abbie. There was no escaping her.
They spent the weekend like a happy family searching the woods for the perfect Christmas tree. Emmie jumped up and down for joy when she spotted the tree she wanted. Dylan thought it looked like a Charlie Brown tree, but Emmie and Abbie loved it. Thankfully, Abbie had enough decorations to cover the multitude of bare spots.
Mornings were spent helping Emmie get ready for school and on the bus before heading to Parker’s. He arrived in the middle of the breakfast rush every day. As the mornings slowed, he took time to get the place in order. Without his dad’s presence, Parker’s was a mess. It would take a few long hours to get the books straightened out and all of the vendors paid in order to keep the doors open. There was no way Dylan was going to let Parker’s go under.
Linda flipped the closed sign on the door. It was the first time in forty years that Parker’s would be closed for the afternoon crowd. Dylan wrapped his arm around his mom. Somberly, they headed to the funeral. Neither said a word. The silence between mother and son was welcome. As Dylan made his way through town, he felt like his heart would break. Since his return home, his time had been mostly filled with all things Abbie and Emmie. There was no time to grieve for the loss of his father. As he drove to the funeral home, the reality of the situation crashed down on him. His dad was gone. He would never see him again.
Longfellow Funeral Parlor was just opening as Dylan pulled up to the front door. His mom wanted to get there early to make sure everything was ready to go. It wasn’t long before friends and family started to fill Longfellow’s. Tears freely flowed as the town mourned the passing of James Edward Parker.
When Emmie arrived, she ran straight for Dylan’s arms. Her face was red and blotchy from crying. Dylan held her close as she said her last goodbyes to a grandfather she clearly loved. Abbie and Linda joined them for a final family moment as the guests quietly looked on.
Dylan thanked each and every person that showed up. He’d forgotten what it felt like to have roots, to have a home, to be part of a community. His life had been nothing but travel, work, and wars for so long that he’d forgotten who he was and where he came from. Not to mention all of the friends and family that surrounded him on one of the most difficult days of his life.
After the funeral, they opened Parker’s for a gathering. Dylan was surprised by the fact that everyone that came brought a covered dish or two, sometimes three. The townspeople quickly filled up three buffet tables. Linda and Abbie added pitchers of soda and water to the mix, along with carafes of coffee.
The simple acts of human kindness were what Dylan missed the most. Seeing the town come together to pay their respects for a man they knew and loved was priceless. As he looked around, he wondered if he would be able to say goodbye to them all over again. When he looked toward Abbie and Emmie, he knew the answer. Leaving was not the answer. It was time for him to come home and run Parker’s. He was going to keep his decision under wraps for a little while.
“Sorry I’m so late.” Dylan’s head snapped up from the table, his mouth almost hitting the floor.
“Veronica, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to make sure you weren’t alone today, sweetie. I’ve been calling and texting, but you didn’t respond. I was worried something happened to you.”
“Daddy, who is that lady?” Emmie looked Veronica over with curiosity.
“Daddy?” Veronica repeated. A look of shock instantly washed over her face.
“Emmie, this is Veronica. I work with her,” Dylan calmly explained.
“It was nice of her to come for Grandpa’s funeral.”
Dylan’s jaw clenched. “It sure was, honey.” Glancing at Abbie, he could see that her whole demeanor had changed. Before Veronica showed up, she was relaxed. The next second, she appeared to be angry, tense.
Rising from the table, he whispered to Emmie that he’d be right back. Dylan ushered Veronica away from his family and to the front of the bar.
“Wow. I had no idea you had a kid or wife. Does she know how much you fuck around on her?” Veronica did nothing to keep her voice down.
“We’re not married. Abbi
e’s the mother of my daughter. There’s nothing to explain. But you had no business coming here. I told you that when you called a few days ago.”
“What is it with you, Parker? You push anyone away who gets close to you. Just like you’re doing to me. I came here because I thought you could use a friendly face to keep you company, but I see I was completely off base. My mistake.” Veronica spun on her heal and headed for the exit. Dylan watched as the door closed behind her. When he got back to the table, Abbie and Emmie were gone.
Chapter Seventeen
Abbie stomped through the snow in her driveway, sick of winter already and it had just begun. She felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. Opening the back door of the SUV for Emmie, she quickly checked her messages. Twelve new messages from Dylan that she had no intention of reading.
“Mommy, why did we have to leave so soon? I was having fun.”
“I know, sweetie, but it’s getting late, and we have to get you ready for school tomorrow.” Abbie grasped at straws to find a suitable answer to Emmie’s question. The fury she felt at seeing the blonde bimbo waltz in, looking for Dylan was too much for her to handle. Abbie wanted to pound the skinny bitch into oblivion when she called Dylan sweetie. Jealousy swept over her, left her wanting to commit homicide. It wasn’t a good feeling for a police officer to have, and the last thing Abbie wanted was to start a fight in front of the entire town, so she did what she did best. Avoided the problem.
She made an excuse about having a headache, and gathered hers and Emmie’s things. Refusing to be made a fool of, she made a beeline straight for the door. Her intuition screamed that his seductive charm was just a charade. Life didn’t allow her the option of playing games with men. Emmie was her priority. It was her responsibility to put a roof over her head, food on the table, and clothes on her back. That meant no time for bullshit games with Dylan Parker. Besides, Abbie had no patience for liars and cheats!
